Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-22
THE BUssEY BRIDGE DISASTER
Continuation of the Testimony Before
the railroad Commissioners.

BosToN, March 81.
The railroad commissioners resumed their
investigation this afternoon into the causes
OF the recent accident at Roslindale.
Henry A. G. Pomeroy of West Roxbury.
clvll engineer and formerly superintendent
of the New York & New England railroad,
was the first witness. He said that on the
morning of the accident he found on the
southern abutnent broken brake rod bent
like horse shoe with points towards the
abutment and at the time l thought it might
have caused the accident. Since then have
been told bv an employe of the road that he
found the brake hanger about 800 feet back
on the track. He looked for marks on the
sleepers and failed to fint any. On looking
over the wreck. however, he found a theory
that the track hanger broke, letting the brake
rod down, that the rod caught in the bridge
derailing the cars and throwing them dow n
the bridge Saturday before the accident,
said the witness. came in on the S.45 train
and rode in the baggage car. As we struck
the curve f. 1t the track was worse than
ever and said to the baggage master, "If
they don't fix this track soon you won't ride
over this bridge many more times"
Witness said that on a properly construct
ed bridge the catching of brake rod in the
| flooring might have derailed the train but it
would not have brought down the bridge and
the guard Of rails would have carried the
train across in safety.
Louis Arnold of Highland Station, grad.
uste of the Lawrence Scientific School, testi-
fed that he was on the wrecked tram in the
eighth car. The first he knew was a shock
as if the train had broken apart. This was
some three or four car-engths from the
bridge. He was not alarmed at first, but as
several shocks followed Immediately, he
jumped to his feet, and seeing that he was
close on the bridge, made up his mind he
was going through the bridge. He then
looked out of the front window, determined
to see all that was going on. He could see
that the car ahead was still on the track, as
was his own car. AS the end of the car
reached the abutment he could see that the
rails were still intact and inclined down.
ward. On this incline the seventh car ran
smoothly down and his car followed. The
bridge was still attached to the Dedham
abutment As they went down there were
three distinct shocks, the first two of which
were not very severe. Then came the third
shock, which tipped the car side-wise and
threw them off the rail. The witness had
not seen anything wrong about the bridge
lately, but he had always felt apprehensions
in going over it. The bridge looked unsafe
to anyone driving under it and it was fire.
quent remark of strangers that it looked'so.
Frank A. Davidson of Highland Station,
was in the first car; he was in the rear of the
car I; his first experience was that the car was
off the track, and striking toward the left,b
ing dragged over the track. 1t came to a
sudden stop, sinking just after we left the
bridge and got over, and after seeing what
had happened ran to the first railroad station
to telegraph for physicians. The telegraph
operator refused to send the message, and
then found a telephone, and calling up the
central office asked the operator to notify all
physicians connected Herewith, and also told
the letter carrier to ring an alarm which he
promised to do.